History

Medical Improv has deep roots in education and theatre. Find out where it all began.

Neva boyd — source credit: lairoftheshadow

Viola spolin — source Credit: Thespolinplayers

Katie Watson, JD — Photo Credit: K. Watson

Brief history of improv

1920’s – Neva Boyd founds the Recreational Training school at the Hull House in Chicago, pioneering the use of games and play as teaching methods.

1939-40’s – Viola Spolin, a student of Boyd's, evolves and expands the games into a form of theatre instruction and performance, known as "Theater Games."

1950's – Paul Sills (Spolin's son) and David Shepherd form the Compass Players, the first professional improvisational theatre company. In England, Keith Johnstone begins independently developing a body of work in improvisational theatre in drama education.

Medical Improv

2002 – Katie Watson, jD, bioethics professor at Northwestern and faculty at Second City, begins teaching an improv course called "Playing Doctor" to medical students at Northwestern Feinberg School of Medicine.